Lights intended for use in the open air



. 8, 1959 H. BARCHMANN EI'AL 2,916,609

LIGHTS INTENDED FOR USE IN THE OPENAIR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 26, 1955 lnvcnfbr Helmuf BARCHMANN Heinz .FPE/ER l/elmut KRUSE Dec. 8, 19 59 H. BARCHMANN ETAL 2,916,609

LIGHTS INTENDED FOR USE IN THE OPEN AIR 7 Filed July 26, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l enl'or He/muf BARCHMANN Hel nz FRE/EP He/mut KRUSE 067 Wflm/ol 1477]:-

Dec. 8, 1959 H. BARCHMANN ETAL 2,916,609

LIGHTS INTENDED FOR USE IN THE OPEN AIR Filed July 26, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Helmuf BARCHMANN Heinz FEE/R He/mut KRuss 0W, mwfd, 112W Arr 1 I United States Patent O r 2,916,609 LIGHTS INTENDED FOR USE IN THE OPEN AIR Helmut Barchmann, Frankfurt am Main, Heinz Freier, Frankfurt am Main, Schwanheim, and Helmut Kruse, Frankfurt am Main, Preungesheim, Germany, assignors to Dr.-Ing. Schneider & Co., Frankfurt am Main, Ger many, a German company Application July 26, 1955, Serial No. 524,374

Claims priority, application Germany July 30, 1954 9 Claims. (Cl. 240-25) Lighting fittings which are used for lighting streets, squares, bridges etc. have to fulfill very different requirements from indoor lights owing to the adverse effect of wind and weather. This applies particularly to lights which are fitted with sensitive fluorescent lamps which have to be protected from the effects of moisture.

It is often the practice to arrange lights which are used in the open air on standards. This kind of light, which suits modern taste and in which the upper end of the standard has the shape of a parabola are frequently called whip-handle lights. In this kind of light, the construction of the lighting member plays a special part. Such member must be completely contained within the mast and adapted to the stream-line shape of the standard. In particular, however, care must be taken to ensure that the casing of the light and the transparent or translucent closure element thereon are completely tightly interconnected, but at the same time are easily detachable.- Furthermore, the detachable connecting means between the said parts must be withdrawn from the effects of the weather and also, for aesthetic reasons should not be visible from the outside.

This invention satisfies these requirements by providing a lighting fitting for outdoor use comprising an elongated dome-shaped housing or casing and an elongated transparent or translucent closure element therefor, wherein a resilient packing is provided between the meeting faces of the housing and closure element and clamping means for urging these faces on to the packing are provided at spaced points along the fitting, themselves enclosed within the fitting and operated simultaneously by a common operating member exteriorly of the fitting. This arrangement may be characterised by an arrangement of closing members which are distributed over the length of the incandescent member at intervals inside the casing and engage under a retracted or inturned edge of the trough when in the closed position and press the edge against a packing arranged on the casing. To actuate the said closing members an operating member is used which preferably is arranged parallel or approximately parallel to the side walls of the casing.

For securing the closure element, which is usually trough-shaped, clamping members may be provided either on both longitudinal sides of the casing, or one side of the closure element may be connected to the casing bya hinge, while the other side is secured by the said clamping members.

In a preferred embodiment the operating memberfor the clamping members is constructed as a rotatable shaft which is fitted with eccentric control members which bring the clamping members into or out of their closed position.

The clamping members may be so constructed thatby actuating the common operating member they are automatically brought into or out of the closed position owing to their weight; however, between the centre of gravity 7 and the part of the clamping members engaging under the f 2,916,609 Patented Dec. 8, 1959 edge of the trough-shaped closure element a guide may be provided in which the closure members are displaced when the operating member is actuated.

The closure members are so mounted and guided that they exert maximum pressure on the edge of the trough just before concluding the closing operation, said pressure being slightly reduced in the stop position. By this means the closure is prevented from openingautomatically.

In the embodiments in which closure members are provided only on one longitudinal side of the casing to secure the trough, whilst the other side is pivotally connected to the casing by a hinge, the arm of the hinge connected to the trough may be constructed of U-shaped form in such manner that the edge of the trough may be slipped into this arm without other attachment.

Further features of the invention and details of the advantages obtained thereby are apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a diagrammatic longitudinal section of one form of the improved light mounted on a so-called whipshaped lamp post and fitted with a fluorescent tube;

Figure 2 is an inverted plan of the same;

Figure 3 is a cross section through the light on the line 1--1 of Figure l, to a larger scale, and

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are fragmentary sectional views showing details of variously constructed closure members.

Referring to Figure 1, the cover 1 for the bottom of the lighting fitting is in the form of a trough of transparent or translucent material. This trough preferably consists of a synthetic material such as organic glass. The indrawn edge 2 of this trough may be readily seen in Figure 3. Under this edge 2 engage the closure members disposed within the interior of the casing, as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, at least on one longitudinal side of the trough. The other longitudinal side of the trough is secured, in the example shown, by a hinge 3. The inner reflector 4 is'bent or channelled several times to increase its stability as a support for the lamps 5, the lamp holders 6, the starter socket and the preliminary switch devices which are all indicated by 7. Two stay bolts 8, which are screwed into bosses on the lamp casing 9, project through two openings in the inner reflector4 so that the latter can be secured by two captive knurled nuts 10.

The electric connection between the inner reflector 4 and the supply of current which is to be arranged in the dome-shaped casing 9, takes place through a separating switch 11, the lower part of which is secured to the inner reflector and the upper part to two bosses on the casing.

Figure 3 clearly shows the bevelled edge of the inner reflector 4. The reflector 4 is disposed on both sides on supporting bosses 12 arranged in the casing 9; One side 13' of the inner reflector is drawn downwards and inwards at a right angle in a narrow strip so that it is hooked in S shaped sheet metal projections 14 which are arranged on the casing 9 when the inner reflector is swung open. Thus the inner reflector remains suspended in the, open condition in the casing,-and thus it is possible for the attachment clip of the mast to be screwed on to the mast 15 and connections to the current supply cable to be made in a simple manner. Furthermore this hinge-like suspension of the inner reflector facilitates attention to the preliminary switch devices 7.

At the places where the closure members 16, 16a, 16b shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6 are disposed, the inner reflector has perforations 17 through which the closure members may move up and down. i

By loosening the captive knurled screws 8 and swinging the reflector open, the contacts of the separating switch 11 become automatically detached, so that the supply of current is interrupted.

The weather-resistant seal of the trough 1 against the casing 9 is produced by sealing strips 13 of rubber, foam rubber, or similar materials which are arranged on the casing 9 and against which the indrawn edge 2 of the trough 1 is pressed by the closure member 16.

The depth of the trough 1 may be such that if three fluorescent tubes 5 are arranged on the inner reflector the free emission of the light from any of the lamps is not impeded by the others.

In the embodiment shown the trough 1 is secured to one side of the casing 9 by a hinge 3, the construction and arrangement of which is such, with respect to the casing 9, that the edge 2 of the trough is pressed against the packing 18 on the hinge side when the trough 1 is closed. One arm 19 of the hinge 3 is of U-shaped construction in such manner that it adapts itself to the shape of the edge 2 of the trough 1, the extreme end 20 having a smaller radius in its curvature than the curvature of the edge 2 of the trough. Thus the trough, which is not connected to the hinge by any screws which might weaken it, can easily be removed from the U-shaped arm 19 of the hinge 3 after opening the trough. Of course, the hinge may have any other shape if required and may be provided with additional attachment means for the trough in the hinge, such as clamping members, clamping screws and the like.

The closure member 16 in Figure 4 is connected by a spindle 21 with lugs 22 which are eccentrically arranged on the longitudinal operating member 23 constructed as a rotatable shaft. When turning the shaft in the direction of the arrow 24 (Figure 4), the lugs swing down, closure member 16 follows this movement owing to its weight and disengages from the edge 2 of the trough 1. When the shaft 23 is turned against the direction of the arrow 24, the part 25 of the closure member engages under the edge 2 and presses it against the packing 13. A maximum pressure is exerted on the edge 2 just in front of the stop position of the eccentric part 22 of the shaft 23, this pressure being slightly reduced in the stop position. Thus it is no longer possible for the closure to open automatically.

To obtain a uniform sealing pressure the closure mem bers are arranged along the side of the casing at spaced intervals. The operating member 23, which may be constructed as a shaft or tube, extends along the casing 9, is mounted several times therein and emerges therefrom at the mast end of the casing. The end of the operating member is constructed with a plurality of edges or faces so that it may be operated only by a special key. At the place where the operating member passes through the casing is a bush which is used both as a guide and as packing, and is so calculated in its diameter and depth that it covers the end of the operating member as a protection against the lodgement of snow and ice. The bush may be let into a depression in the casting of the casing so that it does not project as an interrupting foreign body on the outer side of the light.

Apart from the embodiment of the closure member 16 shown in particular in Figure 4, it may be shaped as shown in Figure 5 or Figure 6.

In Figure 5 the closure member 16a is moved by a cam 26 which is arranged on the longitudinal operating member 23a constructed once more as a shaft or tube. The closure is opened by turning the shaft in the direction of the arrow 24. At the same time the cam 26 moves counterclockwise and releases: the closure member 16a which is provided with a bent part 27 and is pivotally and displaceably arranged with a slot 28 on a head rivet 29. The head rivet 29 is fixed to a guide member 30 and limits the movement of the closure member 16a. When the operating member is moved in the direction of the arrow, the closure member 16a adopts the position shown in Figure 5. Upon further turning the operating member 23a in the direction of the arrow the closure member pivots about the head rivet 29 in the position shown shaded so that the trough 1 is released.

A particularly favourable embodiment of the closure member and thus of the operating member is shown in Figure 6. The operating member 23b constructed as a shaft is cranked at the placeswhere closure members are provided. Closure members 16b constructed as stirrups are mounted on these cranked portions of the shaft. These stirrups are turned over in their centre portion 31 and thereby, in the closed position, engage under the edge 2 of the trough 1. The ends thereof are shaped in the form of eyelets which enclose the cranked portions 32 of the shaft 23b. By their centre portion the closure members 16b slide in a guide 33 which is provided in bearing blocks 34 which are simultaneously used for mounting the shaft 23b. When the shaft 23b is rotated the movement of the closure members 1612 necessary for closing or opening is positively ensured by the guide 23b. At the same time the shaft must be turned in the direction of the arrow 24 to close the trough and in the opposite direction to open it.

It will be appreciated that changes in the details, which have been herein described and illustrated for the purpose of explaining the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the principle and scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a lighting fixture, the combination of an elongate housing which is dome-shaped in cross-section and open at the bottom, lamp receiving means mounted within the housing, a trough-shaped closure formed of a light transmitting material dimensioned to correspond with the open end of the housing with the upper edges of the closure underlying the bottom edges of the housing when in the assembled relation completely to conceal the open end at the bottom of the housing, a resilient gasket extending continuously between the housing and the underlying edges of the closure to effect a sealing relation therebetween when in the assembled relation, said closure having a flange extending inwardly continuously for a short distance from the upper edges thereof, means on one side of the housing operatively engaging the adja cent flanged portions of the closure to mount the closure for rocking movement about the respective side of the housing between open and closed position, latching means within the housing mounted for shifting movement between latching and unlatching position and each including a hook portion adapted to engage the underside of the flange opposite the pivoted edge portion of the closure to latch the flange in sealing relation with the corresponding edge portion of the housing with the gasket in between when in latching position and adapted to become disengaged from the underside of the flange when in unlatching position, actuating means operatively engaging said latching means for displacement thereof between latching and unlatching position, and a shaft accessible from the outside of the housing and interconnected with said actuating means to enable operation of said latching means from outside of the housing.

2. A lighting fixture as claimed in claim 1 in which the actuating means comprises crank arms on the shaft adjacent the hook portions, said crank arms having pivot means swingably supporting said hook portions for actuation into and out of latching engagement with the flange.

3. A lighting fixture as claimed in claim 1 in which said actuating means comprises crank arms on the shaft adjacent said hook portion, said crank arms having means swingably supporting said hook portion for actuation into and out of latching position.

4. A lighting fixture as claimed in claim 1 in which said each hook portion is formed with a generally vertically disposed slot therein and in which the housing has a supporting pivot operatively engaged within the slot for supporting the hook portion for swinging movement and for generally vertical translatory movement and in which the actuating means comprises cams on the shaft adjacent the hook portions and engageable therewith for rocking said hook portions into and out of position beneath the flange and for translating said hook portions into and out of latching positions with respect to said flange.

5. A lighting fixture as claimed in claim 1 in which the actuating means comprises cranks on the shaft pivotally supporting the hook portions, and in which the housing is provided with guide means therein forming guide slots with said hook portions extending downwardly therethrough for guidance in rocking movement between latching and unlatching position, said hook portions thereby being swingable into and out of position under said flange while being concurrently translatable into and out of latching position with respect to said flange by actuation of said shaft.

6. A lighting fixture as claimed in claim 1 in which the actuating means comprises crank means on the shaft pivotally supporting the hook portions, in which the housing is formed with guide means in the form of guide slots through which the hook portions respectively extend for rocking movement about the edges of the guide slot as a pivot, said hook members thereby being swingable into and out of position under the flange and being translatable into and out of latching position with reference to said flange in response to rotational movement of the shaft.

7. Ina lighting fixture, the combination of an elongate housing which is dome-shaped in cross-section and open at the bottom, lamp receiving means mounted within the housing, a trough-shaped closure formed of a light transmitting material dimensioned to correspond with the open end of the housing with the upper edges of the closure underlying the bottom edges of the housing when in the assembled relation completely to conceal the open end at the bottom of the housing, a resilient gasket extending continuously between the housing and the underlying edges of the closure to effect a sealing relation therebetween when in the assembled relation, said closure having a flange extending inwardly continuously for a short distance from the upper edges thereof, means on one side of the housing operatively engaging the adjacent flanged portions of the closure to mount the closure for rocking movement about the respective side of the housing between open and closed position, a plurality of latching elements arranged lengthwise within the housing for shifting movement between latching and unlatching position including hook portions adapted to engage the underside of the flange opposite the pivoted edge portion of the closure to urge the flange in sealing relation with the corresponding edge portion of the housing with the gasket in between when in latching position and adapted to become disengaged from the underside of the flange when in unlatching position, actuating means operatively engaging said latching means for displacement thereof between latching and unlatching position, a shaft common to said actuating means and operatively connected therewith and having an end portion extending to the outside of the housing for access to enable rotational movement thereof to effect operation of the latching means within the housing between latching and unlatching positions.

8. A lighting fixture as claimed in claim 7 in which the means pivotally mounting the lateral edge of the closure member comprises a channel section pivoted at one edge to the housing and dimensioned to receive the flanged edge portion of the closure therein with the free edge portion of the channel section being inclined downwardly and spaced inwardly from the edge of the channel section to enable displacement of the closure flange from the channel section.

9. In a lighting fixture, the combination of an elongate housing which is dome-shaped in cross-section and open at the bottom, lamp receiving means mounted within the housing, a trough-shaped closure formed of a light transmitting material dimensioned to correspond with the open end of the housing with the upper edges of the closure underlying the bottom edges of the housing when in the assembled relation completely to conceal the open end at the bottom of the housing, a resilient gasket extending continuously between the housing and the underlying edges of the closure to efiect a sealing relationship therebetween when in the assembled relation, said closure having a flange extending inwardly continuously for a short distance from the upper edges thereof, means on one side of the housing operatively engaging the adjacent flange portions of the closure to mount the closure for rocking movement about the respective side of the housing between open and closed position, said last named means including means for allowing complete removal of the closure when in open position, latching means within the housing mounted for shifting movement between latching and unlatching position and including a hook portion adapted to engage the underside of the flange opposite the pivoting edge portion of the closure to latch the flange in sealing relationship with the corresponding edge portion of the housing with the gasket in between when in latching position and adapted to be disengaged from the underside of the flange when in unlatching position, actuating means operatively engaging said latching means for displacement thereof between latching and unlatching position, and a shaft accessible from the outside of the housing and interconnected with said actuating means to enable operation of said latching means from outside of the housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

